Words: Andrew Sluys
Published 24 June 2026
Electrification seems to be the name of the game at Audi, with hybrid momentum showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
We recently sat down with Audi New Zealand’s National Sales Manager Ben Dallas at an exclusive preview of the new RS5 Avant, where this topic was discussed.
“Hybridization is a technology that we intend to utilise across our entire range, not only from an economic standpoint, but also driver comfort.”
Audi’s new RS5 Avant was also used as a reference point, with the PHEV’s performance in the spotlight.
“It’’s a performance story as well, because we have to remember that we have a 470 kilowatt combined output, but 130 of those kilowatts are from an electric motor,” Dallas said.
This talk of electrification moved the conversation towards the elephant in the high-performance wagon room — the RS6.
In current form, the RS6 utilises a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 engine producing 441kW and 800Nm with only mild hybrid technology.
This 48-volt system is used to improve fuel efficiency at low speed, maintaining smooth transitions in and out of the stop-start system.
When asked whether or not it will retain its iconic V8 powerplant for this new generation, Dallas seemed skeptical.
“It’s a closely guarded topic. All documentation certainly states that it’ll be a V6.
“I think there’s no secret that probably every person in the world holds on to a glimmer of hope that there might be a V8, but I would definitely say that from what we see, it would be a V6, similar [to the] powerplant we have in the RS5.”
Dallas went on to explain how he’d expect a V6 in the RS6 to eclipse the power and torque levels of the RS5.
This is a reasonable consideration as the RS6 has always been a larger offering than previous RS4 wagons, and it will be competing with the BMW M5 at 535kW/1000Nm.
And considering the RS5 tips the scales around 2.4-tonnes, it’s little surprise this upcoming RS6 will likely be heavier.
But in order to mitigate the effects of this large hybrid battery that is being carried, Dallas was keen to remind us of the performance results.
“We are mitigating turbo lag. We are getting what is a big car moving very, very quickly.”
And considering the RS5 Avant is able to hit 100km/h from a standing start in just 3.7-seconds, we’d tend to agree with this notion.
